Best rifle for 458 WM?

My personal record speed-shooter weighs 9.0 lbs bare, empty, unloaded.
9 lbs 4oz with scope bases and Burris FF3 red dot added.
It is very comfortable to shoot with the Hornady 500-gr DGX&DGS factory loads delivering an honest 2140 fps MV:View attachment 643906
Hey, I've got one of those too! That rear sight is a little weird but the gun makes me happy.
1000004773.jpg

1000004769.jpg

Memo to self: I need to take better pics of my rifles
 
One more M70 Winchester Classic featuring a JES re-bore of a .375 H&H stainless barrel swapped onto another M70 Classic action and some fantastic wood,
A friend with more refined taste than I built this and I unburdened him of it after he took it to Africa and slew buffalo at 30 yards and plains game at close to 200 yards,
using the 404-gr Hammer at +2500 fps, all one shot kills:

View attachment 643881

View attachment 643882View attachment 643883


View attachment 643884
Question for you, Have you tested any other powders beyond AA2230? X-term, TAC, benchmark, W748?
 
RLL,
Yes, many.
Any powder good in the .223/5.56 NATO is excellent in the .458 WinMag.

AA-2230 is always a good choice.
AA-2460s: I SWAG it is same as AA-2230 but with all balls left spherical instead of about half of them squashed flat.
TAC is pretty close to same as AA-2230.
Ditto H335.
Ditto Ramshot X-Terminator.

AA-5744 with 250-grainers at 2700 fps is excellent for a light recoil gamegetter. You can go up to 3000 fps with it too.

H4198 with 250-grainer is excellent if you want +3000 fps with lower pressure than you can do with faster powders. Also +2800 fps with 300-gr (TSX) and +2700 fps with 350-gr (TSX)
300-gr Sierra Hollow Points vaporize at about 2800 fps, don't do that.

Hodgdon BENCHMARK is probably the most temperature stable of all and gets top velocities with the 404-grain Hammer.
It has replaced the old IMR-3031 and IMR-4198 I used in the late 1980s, for 500-grainers and 400-grainers respectively.

H4895 is most flexible, for reduced loads from 60% LR with no filler to 110% LR compressed maximum loads.

CFE 223 is excellent with 500-grain bullets near 2200 fps and that is about as slow a powder burn rate as you need to look to.

I never used Winchester 748 except in the 30-30 when I was a kid, but I have some of the new and improved version called
Winchester StaBALL Match: Temp stable and copper fouling reducing, cleaner burning than 748.

VARGET is a good alternative to Winchester 748 also.

Alliant Power Pro line of powders ...
Etc., etc., too many powder and bullet combos to shake a stick out.

With any powder from Accurate 5744 to CFE 223 on the burn rate table (#71 to #118 out of the total of 176 powders listed in the table I am looking at)
and any bullet weight and bullet type from 250 grains to 600 grains
you can find an excellent choice
in the most excellent cartridge of all, the .458 Winchester Magnum.
Use what you have, you will succeed.
 
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Grz63 wrote on Doug Hamilton's profile.
Hello Doug,
I am Philippe from France and plan to go hunting Caprivi in 2026, Oct.
I have read on AH you had some time in Vic Falls after hunting. May I ask you with whom you have planned / organized the Chobe NP tour and the different visits. (with my GF we will have 4 days and 3 nights there)
Thank in advance, I will appreciate your response.
Merci
Philippe
Grz63 wrote on Moe324's profile.
Hello Moe324
I am Philippe from France and plan to go hunting Caprivi in 2026, Oct.
I have read on AH you had some time in Vic Falls after hunting. May I ask you with whom you have planned / organized the Chobe NP tour and the different visits. (with my GF we will have 4 days and 3 nights there)
Thank in advance, I will appreciate your response.
Merci
Philippe
rafter3 wrote on Manny R's profile.
Hey there could I have that jewelers email you mentioned in the thread?
VIGILAIRE wrote on wesheltonj's profile.
Hi Walden. Good morning from England, Chris here (The Englishman!) from Croatia. Firstly it was a pleasure to meet you and Michelle - a fellow Sanderson! I have finally joined AH as I enjoy it very much. Glad you enjoyed the hunt and your write up which I read on AR was very good indeed. I am sending on WhatsApp pics from Bojan of some of the animals hunted recently. Take care and best regards. CS.
 
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